TechAir, a new Israeli seasonal airline initiated by a forum of leading tech executives and investors, is hoping to take off on an inaugural flight to New York on January 21, 2025, as US carriers have ceased flying to and from the country due to the ongoing war with the Hamas terror group.

The Hi-Tech Center, a forum of entrepreneurs, startup founders, investors, and venture capital fund managers who rely on face-to-face meetings with investors and customers located outside the country, is not waiting for the government to take action.

Citing the shortage of flights to the US, limited availability, and high airfares, TechAir plans to run three weekly direct flights with leased planes and crews to bolster the route between Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport and New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport starting next month until at least the end of March.

After sealing an agreement to lease an Airbus A330-900 passenger aircraft, which will be operated by an unnamed Israeli company, TechAir kicked off an online 72-hour presale booking period to secure sufficient commitment to launch the route.

Roundtrip tickets from Tel Aviv to New York are priced at 1,550 USD in economy class, including luggage, seating, and meals, and one-way tickets cost 900 USD. After the presale period, ticket fares are set to increase by 15 to 20 percent.

TechAir’s pricing for roundtrip fares is lower than tickets with Israel’s flagship carrier El Al, the only airline currently offering direct routes to New York. Flights on the Tel Aviv-New York route with a stopover connection are cheaper than TechAir’s fares.

TechAir plans to operate a total of 36 direct weekly flights that depart at midnight from Tel Aviv and land in New York early in the morning on weekdays, with one flight departing over the weekend.